Fluid-operated pump with spaced motor and pump sections



Sept. 13, 1960 c. J. coBERLY FLUID-OPERATED PUMP WITH SPACED MOTOR AND PUMP SECTIONS 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 16, 1955 Sept. 13, 1960 c. J. coBERLY FLUID-OPERATED PUMP WITH SPACED MOTOR AND PUMP SECTIONS Filed Sept. 16, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 fz'r. 57

C. J. COBERLY FLUID-OPERATED PUMP WITH SPACED NOTOR AND PUVP SECTIONS Sept. 13, 1960 Filed Sept. 16, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Il Y j.. A

COBERLY V FLUID-OPERATED PUMP WITH SPACED Sept. 13, 1960 c. J.

MOTOR AND PUMP SECTIONS Filed Sept. 16, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 mwwlmww I IIIIL BERLY 2,952,212 -OPERATED PUMP WITH SPACED IVOTOR AND PUMP SECTIONS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 sept. 13, C. J. CO

FLUID Flled Sept 16 1955 United States Paten-t FLUlD-OPERATED PUMP WITH SPACED lMOTOR AND PUMP SECTIONS l 'Clarence J. Coherly, San Marino, Califgassignor to Kobe,

Inc., Huntington Park, Calif., a corporation of 'California Filed Sept. 16, 1955, Ser. No. `554,71?.

6 Claims. (Cl. 10S-46) IThis invention relates to a fluid-operated pumping system which is of particular utility in pumping oil wells and which will be considered in connection with oil well pumping herein asa matter of convenience.

A duid-operated pumping system for an oil well conventionally includes at least two tubings set in the well Aand connected at their lower ends to a fluid-operated pump having coupled motor and pump sections, the motor section of the pump being actuable by an operating fluid, preferably oil, under pressure to actuate the pump section of the pump. The operating iluid under pressure is delivered to the motor section through one of the tubings mentioned, which tubing Vis referred to hereinafter as the power tubing. The spent operating fluid discharged by the motorvsection'of the pump and the well fluid discharged by the pump section thereof may be conveyed to the surface separately through separate tubings, or may be mixed and conveyed -to the surface through a common tubing. For convenience, the latter alternative will be considered herein, the common tubing for the spent operating fluid and well fluid discharged by the pump being referredto yhereinafter as the production tubing. v

lIn such a system, the fluid-operated pump fmay be-either the se type, in which case `it is rigidly connected to the lower ends of the power and production tubings, 4or the free type, in which case it is movable through one of the tubings, e.g., the power tubing, between the surface and an operating position adjacent ythe lower end of such tubing, the invention being disclosed as embodied in a free pump as a matter of convenience. Such 4free pump systems are well known in the art, one being described in detail in my Patent 2,338,903, granted January 11, 1944, to which reference is hereby made.

In such a conventional fluid-operated pumping system, the power and production tubings are desirably arranged lin parrallel, i.e., side by side, such an arrangement having several well-known advantages. lConsequently, the two tubings occupy considerableflateral space in the Well casing. In oil wells of substantial depth, it is common practice to reduce the diameter ofthe casing as the :depth of the well increases, and it is also common practice to install perforated pipe in the producing zone of the well to exclude sand from the well. The perforated pipe is commonly set as a liner and 1`sof necessity, of smaller diameter than the casing thereabove. Under such conditions, it is not uncommon for the liner or casingin the production Zone of the well to be ysoo small to accommodate parallel power and production tubings and a primary object of the invention is to provide'a Huid-operated pumping system which obviates this dii'culty without sacrificing the parallel tubing arrangement.

More specifically, a primary object of the invention is to provide a fluid-operated pumping system wherein the motor and pump sections are spaced apart a substantial distance, with the motor section located inthe casing above the producing zone of the well, where the Patented Sept. 13, 1960 'power and production tubings in parallel down `to lthe A .point of reduced diameter 'and Vpermits -a single tubing vfor the pump section 'to be used in the producing zone, which is an important object of the invention.

A further object is to provide a pumping `sy'stem incorporating alfre'e pump of the foregoing character wherein the 'tubing through which the pump jis movable lextends downwardly into the producing zone of the well to 33ermit disposing the pump section lof the pump therein, .the yother tubing terminating ata point a convenient 4distance above the liner. A Vrelated object in connection with a pumping system of this nature 'wherein the pump is movable through the powertubing, in which -casethe power `tubing is longer than the production tubing, -is to discharge the well iluid pumped by the pump sectioninto the lower end ofthe power tubing and to subsequently divert it into the production tubing at fa point below'the motor section of the pump. Another object in this connection is to provide packer `means carried by the motor section of -the pump and engageable with the power tubing for separating the well Huid discharged by the pump section from the operating fluid -in the power tubing.' Y

Another object is to provide a free pump wherein the motor and ypumpsections respectively include motor and pump pistons and are structurally disconnected except for a rod means of substantial `length which connect-s -the pump piston to the motor piston. l

An important object is to provide such a free ,pump wherein the rod means is flexible so that it may be wound on a reel, for example, as the pump section of the .pump is removed fromy therwell.

Another object is to provide means for securing or supporting such a free pump in its operatingposition-i-n the tubing in which it is disposed. Preferably, such securing Vor supporting means includes a hydraulically-actuable latch mechanism such as that disclosedv and claimed in my Patent No. 2,676,546, reference to which `is here.- byV made. Y

VI, prefer to attain the foregoingobjects and advantages of my invention, together with various other objects advantages thereof which will become apparent, through 'the employment of the exemplary embodments'which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and which Yare describedin detail hereinafter. y Referring to the draw.- ings:

Fig. l is a Vdiagrammatic: utility View which shows the invention installed ina well; 4

CFig. 2 is a vertical'sectional view of the upper portion of the invention; i i v .Y

Fig. 3 is a downward continuation of Fig. 2';

Fig. 4 is a downward continuation of Fig. 43,

gFig. `5 is a downward continuation of Eig. 4;

lFig. 6 is a downward `continuation of Fig.,5;

Fig. 7 is a vdownward continuation of Fig. 6v;

lFig. 8 is a downward continuation'of Fig. 7,; Y y

Figs. 9 and 10 are transverse sectional views respecj tively taken along the broken lines 9-9 and y10J-1,10A of Fig. 3; Y Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional View .of the upper por; tion ofAv another embodiment of the invention; l

Fig. 12 isa downward continuation lof Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a downward continuation of Fig. f1.2;

Fig. 14 is a downward continuation `of Fig. 13;

Figs. 15, 16 and 17 are transverse sectional views rel speictively taken along the broken lines,f5-15, 1li-16 and 17-17 of Fig. 1 3; and,

e 2,952,212 Y e' 'e c Fig. 18 is a transverse sectional view taken along the broken line 18-18 of Fig. 14.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, I show a fluid-operated pumping system which embodies the invention, the pumping system being installed in a well having an upper section of relatively large diameter which is encompassed by a main casing 21 and having a lower section of relatively small diameter which is encompassed by a perforated liner 22. The liner projects upwardly into the main casing and is provided at its upper end with a collar 23 which is adapted to be Vengaged by a conventionalJ-tool which is used on the lower end of a drill pipe (not shown) for setting the liner in place, as is well known in the art. The liner 22 extends downwardly into the oil-producing formation of the well and may be several hundred feet in length.

Suspended `from a casing head 24 at the upper end of the main casing 21 are parallel power and production tubings 25 and 26, the production tubing terminating above the liner 22 at a point adjacent the lower end of the main casing 21 and being connected to the power tubing by a fitting 27. rIhe power tubing 25 is of substantially Vgreater length than the production tubing 26 and includes a lower section 2S which extends downwardly from the iitting 27 into the -liner 22. As will be discussed in lmore detail hereinafter, a fluid-operated pump 30` of the invention, shown in Figs. 2 to l0, is movable downwardly through the power tubing 25 into an operating position adjacent the lower end thereof, the pump including a motor section 31 (Figs. 2 to 5) which is disposed in the power tubing above the lower end of the fitting 27 Vwhen the pump is in its operating position, and including a pump section 32 (Figs. 5 to 8) which is disposed n the lower section 28 of the power tubing below the -tting 27 when the pump is in its operating position.

The power and production tubings 25 and 26 are connected at their upper ends to a selector Valve 33 which is operable by a handle 34, a supply pipe 35 and a discharge pipe 36 also being `connected to the selector valve.

The supply pipe is connected to a source of operating uid under pressure, which may be a conventional triplex pump 37. The discharge pipe 36 leads to a suitable point of disposal for the fluid discharge by the huid-operated pump 30. lIn one position of the handle 34, the selector valve 33 connects the supply pipe 35 to the power tubing 25 and connects the discharge pipe 36 to the production tubing 26 so that operating iiuid under pressure flows downwardly through the power tubing to the motor section 31 of the pump 30 and so that uid discharged by the pump 30 flows upwardly through the production tubing into the discharge pipe. In another position of the handle 34, the selector valve 33 connects the production tubing 26 to the supply pipe 35 and connects the power tubing 25 to the discharge pipe 36 to remove the fluidoperated pump 30 from the well hydraulically. All of this will be discussed in more detail hereinafter.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the power tubing 25 includes an upper section 41 which is threaded at its lower end into the upper end of a sealing collar 42, the latter being provided with an internal annular shoulder 43 which serves as a seat for a cylindrical sleeve 44. The upper end of this sleeve provides an upper annular seating shoulder 45. Formed in the sealing `collar 42 below the shoulder 43 is an annular recess y46 which provides a lower annular seating shoulder 47.

I As best shown in Fig. 4, the power tubing 25 includes an intermediate section 50 which is threaded at its upper end into the lower end of the sealing oollar 42 and which, as best shown in Fig. 5, is threaded at its lower end into the upper end of a bore 51 through the tting 27. Located beside the bore `51 in the fitting 27 is a bore 52 into which the lower end of the production tubing 26 is threaded, the bores 51 and 52 being connected in fluid communication by a port 53 in the tting. The lower section 28 of the power tubing 25 is threaded at its upper end into the lower end of the bore 51 through the iitting 27 and extends downwardly from this iitting into the liner 22.

As best shown in Figs. 7 and- 8, the lower end of the lower section 28 of the power tubing is threaded into a coupling 55 which, in turn, is threaded into a tubular inlet element 56, the latter being open at its lower end to communicatewith the well. The inlet element 56 is provided with an internal annular shoulder 57 on which is seated a collar 5S, the latter being provided with an annular seating face 59. Seated on the face 59 is a standing valve assembly 60 which is provided with a bore 61 therethrough and which is provided with a ball check valve 62 at the lower end of such bore, the ball check valve being adapted to move upwardly to admit well uid from the liner 22 into the standing Valve assembly, but being adapted to seat to prevent reverse flow. The standing valve assembly 60 is provided at its upper end with a tapered pump seat 63 for the fluid-operated pump 30 of the invention, which will now be considered in detail.

Referring particularly to Figs. 4 and 5, the motor section 31 of the fluid-operated pump 30 is disposed in the power tubing 25 above the port 53 in the tting 27 when the pump is in its operating position. Any suitable fluid-operated motor may be employed for the motor section 31 of lthe pump 30 so that it will not be described in detail herein. Briey, the motor section 31 includes a motor cylinder 66 having a motor piston 67 reciprocable therein, fa piston rod 68 being connected to the lower end of the motor piston and extending through the lower end of the motor cylinder, and a valve rod 69 being connected to the upper end of the motor piston and extending through the upper end of the motor cylinder. As is well known in the ait, the valve rod 69 cooperates with a motor valve (not shown) which applies an alternating fluid pressure diiferential to the motor piston 67 to reciprocate it in the motor cylinder.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, connected to the upper end of the motor cylinder 66 is a tubular tting 72 having la tubular packer mandrel 73 threaded into its upper end. Threaded onto the upper end of the packer mandrel 73 is a member 74 having a frusto-l conical nose 75 which is adapted tot be engaged by a pump catcher (not shown) incorporated in the body of the selector valve 33 when the pump 3i) is removed from the well, as will be discussed in more detail hereinafter. The valve rod 69 is of smaller external diameter than the internal diameters of the packer mandrel 73 and the tubular Viitting 72 to provide therebetween an annular space 76 which serves as an operating fluid intake for the motor section 31 of the pump 30, the operating fluid intake communicating with the interior of the power tubing 25 through ports 77 in the member 74 at the upper end of a packer mandrel. As is conventional with free pumps, the packer mandrel 73 carries packers 78 which provide a fluid-tight seal relative to the power tubing 25 whenever the pressure below such packers exceeds fthe pressure thereabove, as is the case during removal of the pump 30` from the well, which will be discussed in more detail hereinafter.

The tubular fitting 72 carries packer means 81 which makes a fluid-tight seal with the sleeve 44 in the sealing collar 42 when ythe Huid-operated pump 30 is in its operating position so as to isolate the sections of the power tubing below the sealing collar from those thereabove. The packer means 81 comprises a sealing ring 82, preferably an O-ring, which engages the sleeve 44 when the fluid-operated pump is in its operating position and which is disposed in an `annular groove 83 formed between two annular elements 84 and 85. The annular elements 84 and 85 encircle the tubular tting 72 with the element 34 seated against an external shoulder 86 on this tting,

afluid-tight seal between vtheelement 84 andthe fitting 72 being provided by a sealing =ring 87. Seated Aon-the Vannular element 85 is ya sleeve 90 which encircles the upper end of the tubular itting 72 and which is clamped between the annular element 85 and a washer 91 by a V.nut 92 threaded on the lower end of the packer mandrel 73. The sleeve 90 is provided at its upper end with a downwardly facing shoulder 93 which seats on the seating shoulder 45 at the upper end of the sleeve 44 when the fluid-operated pump is in its operating position.

As best shown in Figs. 3 and 9, the lower end of the .tubular tting 72 is enlarged and is provided with a .plurality of circumferentially spaced, vertical bores 95 ffor vertically movable pins 96, the latter being biased `downwardly by compression springs 97 which are seated against the upper ends of the pins and against the lower lface o'f the annular element `84. The lower ends of the pins 96 engage radially movable latch elements 98 which, as best shown in Figs. 3 and l0, are slidable in circular openings 99 formed in the tubular tting 72. Each of the latch elements 98 is provided with packing 100 which entirely encircles it to provide a fluid-tight seal. AEach of the latch elements is provided with a lower seating face 101 which is adapted to rest on the `lower seating shoulder 47 of the sealing collar 42, and each of the latch elements is provided in its upper surface with a groove `102 in which the corresponding pin 96 is disposed, the pins serving as stops to limit inward and outward radial movement of the latch elements. It will be noted that the inner 'ends of the latch elements 98 are exposed to the 4annular operating uid intake 76 and 'that the outer ends thereof are exposed to the uidrpressure obtaining 'in an annular space 105 between the sealing collar 42 and the tubular tting 72. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, 'the annular space 105 extends downwardly between the motor cylinder 66 and the intermediate section 50 of 'the power tubing 25, and communicates at its lower end with the port 53 in the fitting 27.

Referring `particularly to Figs. 6 and 7, the pump section 32 of the fluid-operated `pump 30l is preferably of the single-acting type and includes a pump cylinder 108 having a pump piston 109 reciprocable therein. A piston rod 110 is connected to the upper end of the pump piston 109 and extends through the upper end of the pump cylinder 108. Y n It will be noted that there is no structural connection 'between the pump cylinder 108 and the motor cylinder 66, the only connectionbetween the motor and pump sections 31 and 32 of the fluid-.operated pump 30 being Aa ilexible rod means 111 which is connected at its upper end to the piston rod 68 attached to the .motor piston 67 and which is connected at its lower end to the Vpiston rod 110 attached to thepumpl piston 109. Theexible rod means 111 is illustrated as a woven wire cable 112 having fittings 113 and 114 swaged onto its upper and lower end s, respectively. Theitting -`113Yis threadedly connected to avitting 115 which is threaded onto the lower -endof the piston rod 68 and the iitting 114 is Vthreadedly connected to a similar fitting 116 which is threaded onto the piston rod 110. v

lIn practice, the pump section 32 of the rfluid-operated ypump 30 may be disposed Ya substantial distance below :the motor -section 31 thereof, -the Ydistance between the motor and pump sections being, for example, several lhundred feet or more. Under such conditions, the wire cable v112.1may be of very substantial Vlength and is responsible for a 'substantial `portion lof the over-'all length of the pump 30.

ARfferrin'g to Figs, 6 and 7 and going fromthe upper Eend fof the pump section 3-2 toward the lower en d thereof, the pump Acylinder, 108 is ,closed at its upper end Yby an element 120 which serves as a guide for the piston rod L1'1'0`ianc1 which is providedk with discharge ports -121 "therein `for duid discharged by the pump section, such v121 is visible in the drawings.

Y 6 discharge ports communicating with the lower section 28 of the power tubing 25. Only one of the discharge ports Connected to the lower end of the element 120 is a cup-shaped element 122 having a transverse wall 123 through which lthe piston rod extends and which serves as an additional guide for the piston rod, the wall 123 being provided with ports 124 therethrough which lead to the discharge ports 121. Connected to the lower end of the element i122 is a sleeve 12S which is connected to a pump barrel 126 by a coupling 127, the pump barrel, as best shown in Fig. 7, having a liner 128 which de'nes the pump cylinder 108, pressed thereinto. The pump piston 109 makes a iluid-tight, lsliding iit with the liner 128. A coupling 129 connects the lower end of the pump barrel 126 to a sleeve 130 which is connected at its lower end to an inlet valve assembly ,131, the latter providing fluid communication between the interior of the pump cylinder 108 and the standing valve assembly 60 so that fluid from the well may flow through the standing valve assembly andfthrough the inlet valve assembly 131 into the lower end of the pump cylinder. The inlet Valve assembly 131 includes a ball check valve 132 which permits upward ilow of Well fluid into the pump cylinder 108, but which prevents Vreverse ilow. The inlet valve assembly 131 includes an element 133 which is tapered at its lower end to seat on the tapered pump, seat 63. The element 133 also carries a latch means 1134 comprising iingers 135 having outwardly and downwardly sloping external shoulders 136 which are adapted to engage a downwardly facing shoulder 137 formed on the inner surface of the coupling 55. The fingers are connected at their upper ends by a ring 138 vwhich is seated on an external shoulder 139 on the element 133 to support the latch mean-s 134. As will be apparent, the latch means 134 ,provides a means for releasably securing the pump cylinder 108 relative to the power tubing 25, the sloping shoulders 136 on the fingers 135 being adapted to disengage the shoulder 13.7v to release the pump cylinder in response to a predetermined upward force applied thereto.

.Connected to the lower end of the sleeve 147 is a working valve assembly 151 which includes a ball check valve 152 adapted to open upwardly to permit yupward ow of fluid through the pump piston during the downward, or return, stroke thereof, but adapted to close during the upward, or pumping, stroke of the pump piston to prevent ilow therethrough.

VConsidering the operation of the embodiment hereinbefore described, when the fluid-operated pump 30 i-s to ybe installed in the well, the pump section 312 thereof is inserted into the upper end of the power tubing 25, followed Vby the exible rod means 111 and the motor section 31, the latch elements 98 being moved inwardly v into their retracted positions prior to insertion of the motor section into the power tubing so that the pump 30 may pass downwardly through `the power tubing. The upper end of the power tubing 25 is-then closed in any suitable manner and the handle 34 of the selector valve 33 is moved to a position such that the power and production tubings 25' and 26 are connected to the supply and discharge pipes 35 and 36, respectively. Subsequent .operation Yof the triplex pump 37 results in the delivery of operating iiuid under pressure to the upper, en-d of the power tubing 25 through the supply pipe 35 and the selector valve 33 to move the fluid-operated pump 30 downwardly through the power tubing into its operating position, as shown in Figs. 2 to 8 of the drawings. l fluid in the power tubing below the pump 30 is dis- Any.

placed upwardly through the port 53 in the fitting 27 into the production tubing 26, from which it flows through the selector valve 33 into the discharge pipe 36. During the downward movement of the fluid-operated pump 30, the latch elements 98 are frictionally held in their retracted positions by the compression springs 97 acting through the pins 96. Since the fluid pressure required to move the pump 30 downwardly' through the power tubing is relatively small, the latch elements 98 are not moved outwardly thereby.

As the fluid-operated pump 30 reaches its operating position, the element 133 at the lower end of the pump section 32 engages the pump seat 63 and the latch means 134 releasably secures the pump section in place. At substantially the same time, the shoulder 93 upon the sleeve 90 engages the shoulder 45 at the upper end of the sleeve 44 to prevent downward movement of the motor section 31 of the pump beyond its operating position. By this time, the packer means 81 engages the sleeve 44 to prevent downward ilow of the operating fluid past the motor section. Consequently, the operating uid pressure above the motor section 31 increases, such increased operating fluid pressure being applied to the inner ends of the latch element 98 through the operating fluid intake 76 and the ports 77 in the member 74. As the operating iluid pressure builds up to its normal value, the latch elements 98 are forced outwardly into the positions shown in Fig. 3 in which the lower seating faces 101 thereof engage the lower seating `shoulder 47 to support the moto-r section 31 of the pump 30. As will be noted, the area of engagement between the shoulder 93 and the upper seating shoulder 45 is relatively small due to space requirement and would not support the full pressure of the operating fluid, which might provide a pressure dierential across the packer means 81 of 2,500 pounds per square inch or more. Consequently, this engagement is not designed to do more than check the downward movement of the fluid-operated pump 30 and temporarily support the pump in its operating position. As soon as the downward pressure of the operating uid starts to rise, the latch elements 98 are moved outwardly as described to support the motor section 31 of the pump and to withstand any downward fluid pressure differential thereon.

With the fluid-operated pump 30 thus installed in the well, the operating fluid ows downwardly through the operating fluid intake 76 to operate the motor section 31, thereby reciprocating the motor piston 67 in its cylinder 66. Such reciprocatory movement of the motor piston 67 is communicated to the pump piston 109, the force required to produce the upward stroke of the pump piston being communicated thereto by the exible rod means 111 and the force required to produce the downward stroke of the pump piston being provided by gravity. During the upward stroke of the pump piston 109, the working Valve assembly 151 carried thereby is closed so that fluid is discharged from the pump cylinder 108 through the discharge ports 121. At the same time, the inlet valve assembly 131 and the standing valve assembly 60 open so that well fluid is drawn into the lower end of the pump cylinder 108. The fluid discharged from the pump clyinder flows upwardly through the lower section F28 of the power tubing 25 and through the port 53 in the fitting 27 into the production tubing 26, the packer means 81 serving to separate the operating fluid in the power tubing above the motor section 31 from the production flow. The production fluid flows from the production tubing 26 through the selector valve 33 into the discharge pipe 36. It will be noted that the annular space 105 communicates the production fluid pressure to the outer ends of the latch elements 98 because of the location of the latch elements below the packer means 81, thereby providing a fluid-pressure dif- 'assegna ferential across the latch elements which retains them in the pump. During lthe upward stroke of the pumpv piston 109, the pump cylinder 108 is retained in its operating position by its own weight and by' the latch means 134.

During the downward stroke of the pump piston 109, the working valve assembly 151 carried thereby opens to permit displacement of well fluid from the lower end of the pump cylinder into the upper end thereof. At the same time, the inlet valve assembly 131 closes to prevent discharge of fluid back into the well.

When removal of the fluid-operated pump 30 from the well is desired for any reason, the handle 34 of the selector valve 33 is moved to a position such that the selector valve connects the supply pipe 35 to the production tubing y26 and connects the power tubing 25 to the discharge pipe 36. The operating uid under pressure then iiows from the triplex pump 37 downwardly through the production tubing 26 and enters the power tubing 25 below the motor section 31 through the port 53 in the fitting 27. As such iluid pressure builds up, it acts on the outer ends of the latch elements 98, through the annular space 105, to retract the latch elements. Subsequently, as the operating lluid pressure continues Vto build up, it acts on the lower end of the motor section 3,1 to start it upwardly through the power tubing 25. Such upward movement of the motor section 31 is communicated to the pump section 32 through the flexible rod means 111, the latch means 134 releasing the pump section automatically after a predetermined pressure has built up below the motor section 3-1. The external diameter of the pump section 32 is such that a clearance is provided between the pump section and the walls of the power tubing 25 so that the pump section is substantially hydraulically balanced after it has been unseated.y

As the fluid operated pump 30 moves upwardly in the power tubing 25, the packer means 81 disengages the sleeve 44. Thereafter, the operating fluid pressure is applied to the packers 78 on the packer mandrel 73 to move Vthe pump 30 upwardly through the power tubing to the surface. Since the motor section 31 `of the pump 30 and the cable 111 are relatively light, only a relatively small uid pressure below the packers 7=8 is required to move the pump upwardly to the surface, a pressure of pounds per square inch, for example, being sufficient. Consequently, there is substantially no tendency for the packers 78 to blow out during upward movement of the pump. It will be noted, that as soon as the pump section 32 unseats from the pump seat 63, the standing valve assembly 60 closes to prevent discharge of the operating fluid into the well.

When the pump 30 Vreaches the surface, the motor section 31 thereof is removed from the power tubing 25 and the flexible rod means 111 may be wound on a drum or reel, for example, which is an important feature of the invention. Subsequently, the pump section 32 may be removed from the power tubing. Y In the .alternative lembodiment illustrated in Figs. ll to 18 of the drawings, power and production tubngs 225 and 226 respectively corresponding to the power and production tubings 25 and 26 are employed. As shown in Fig. 13, the tubings 225 and 226 are connected by :a fitting 227 from which depends a lower section 228 of .the power tubing 225 corresponding to the lower section 28 of the power tubing 25. The embodiment presently under consideration includes a fluid-operated pump 230 which includes a motor section 231 similar to the motor section 31. The pump 230 also includes a pump section which is identical to the pump section 32 and which is therefore not illustrated.

The fitting 227 is essentially a combination of the tting 27 and the sealing collar 42, the fitting 227, as shown in Fig. 13, being provided with a bore 251 therethrough into the Iupper end of which an upper section 241 of the powerwtubing 225 vis threaded andinto the lower end of which the lower section-228 thereof is threaded. The lower end of the production tubing 226 is threaded intoa bore 252 `in the -fitting 227, the 'bores 251 and 252 -communicating below the motor section 12311 through a pont 253. Disposed in the bore 251 is a. cylindrical sleeve 244 corresponding to the sleeve 44 `and yformed in the bore 251 is an annular recess 246 corresponding to the annular recess 46, the annular recess -246 providing `an annular seating shoulder 247. The motor section 231 comprises a motor vcylinder 266 havin-g a motor piston 267 reciprocable therein, a tubular piston .rod 268 fbeing connected to the lower end of the motor piston and extending through the lower end of the motor cylinder. Connected to the -upper end of the mo- .tor cylinder 266 is a solid` packer mandrel 273 which Acarries la member 274 having a nose 275 adapted to be engaged by a pump catcher (not shown). The pack- .er mandrel 273 .carries at least one packer 278 corresponding to the packer 78.

Referring particularly to Fig. 13, at the lower end of the motor cyl-inder 266 is a tubular fitting 272 which s corresponds to the tubular iitting 72. The tubular iitting .272 is provided with a plurality of ports, best shown `vin Figs.V 13 .and 15, which serve as an operating fluid lintake 276 for the motor section 231 of the fluid-operated Vpump 230. The operating uid intake 276 communicates with the lower end of an annular space 277 .between the power tubing 225 and the motor cylinder 266 so that operating fluid may reach the intake 276 by way of such annular space. f

The tubular -tting 272 carries a packer means 281 'for separating the lower section 228 of the power tubing S225 from the upper section 241 thereof, thereby separating the operating and Aproduction fluid. The packer y'n'ieans 281 Vcomprises yan O-ring 282 which is adapted t'o engage the sleeve 244 and which is disposed in a fgroove 283 in the tubular fitting `272.

Threadedly connected to the lower endk of the tubular tting 272 is another tubular ttin-g 294 having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, vertical bores `295 for pins '296 which are biased downwardly lby com- ;pression springs 297`seated against the lower face-of the tfitting 272. The lower `ends of the pins 296 engage latch elements 298 Awhich correspond to the latch elements 9-8, the latch elements 298 being slidable radially in circular openings 299 formed in the tubular titting 294. Packing 300 surrounds each latch element 298 to provide a fluid-tight seal. The latch elements 298 are provided with lower seating faces 301 which are adapted .to engage the annular seating shoulder 247, the rinternal diameter of the annular shoulder 247 being sufficiently small that the latch elements 298 cannot move therepast when the latch elements are retracted during downward movement of the pump 230. Inward land outward movement of the latch elements 298` is limited by the pins 296 which are disposed in grooves 302 in the upper surfaces of the latch elements.

The latch elements 298 are moved outwardly into their extended posit-ions by application of the operating uid pressure to :the inner ends thereof in the same manner as the latch elements 98, the operating fluid pressure being applied yto the inner yfaces of the latch elements 2,98 in the following manner: The tubular piston rod 268 is provided with radial ports 303 therein, as best shown in Figs. 13 and 15, which communicate with a chamber 304 for any position of the motor piston 267, .the chamber 304 continuously communicating 4with the operating uid intake 276. Thus, the pressure in the tubular piston rod 268 isalways the operating fluid pressure'above .the packer means 281. Below the radial por-ts 303 in the tub-ular piston rod are two sets of radial por-ts 305 and 306, the lformer being shown in Figs. 13 and 16 and the latter in Figs. 14 and 18. One or the other of .the sets of ports 305 and 306 is `always in communication with an annular space 307 between .the tubular piston rod 268 and .the tubular iitting 294, either directly or through an annular space 308 between .the tubular 10 .piston rod andV a tube 309 which threaded -intolthe flower end 'of 2the 'iitting 294, the :tube 309' being closed .at its lower end to make a fluid-tight, sliding Vfit withl the .piston rod. The inner ends of the latch elements 298 .are open to the lannul-ar space 307 so that the operating iiuid pressure within :the v.tubular piston rod is applied thereto through one or more of the sets of ports 305 and 306 and one or more of the annular spaces 3.07 and 308.

As best shown in Fig. 14, the tubular piston rod 268 is connected to a eXible rod means 3111 in substantially the same manner as the piston rod 68 is connected to the flexible rod means 111.

The operation of the alternative embodiment illustrated Vin Figs. 11 to 18 is similar to that of the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 10 and does not need to be discussed in det-ail. Briey, .during installation of the fluidoperated pump 230, the latch elements 298 are :in their Vretracted `positions to clearv the inner walls of the power tubing V225 and `the iitting 227. However, the retracted latch elements 298 engage a suiicient area o-f the annular seating shoulder 247 to check the downward movement of the motor section 2311 when the pump 230 reaches its operating position. Subsequently, the operating liuid pressure increases and is communicated to the inner ends of the latch elements 298 through the annular space 277, the operating fluid intake 276, the chamber 304, the radial ports 303, the :tubular piston rod 268-, the radial ports 305 (or the radial ports 306) and the lannular space 307 (or the `annulars'paces 308 and 307). In all other respects, the operation of the Ipump 230 is substantially identical to that of the pump 30.

yAs hereinbefore discussed, the present invention, *by .spacing the motor Iand pump sections of a fluid-operated .pump apart in the well, permits the use of parallel tub- -ings, with their attendant advantages, in wells having .bottom hole diameters which normally would not permit the use of parallel tubings. With the present invention, practicalpumping depths with this type of equipment may be substantially extended. L

vAlthough I have shown and described two preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood ,that various changes, moditications and substitutions may be incorporated in either Iembodiment without departing from the spiri-t of the invention and, therefore, I do not intend to be limited to the specific construction shown and described, but desire to be aiforded the full scope of the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a duid-operated pumping system, the combination of: power and production tubings set in a well; a fluid-operated pump movable relative to said tubings through one of them into an operating position adjacent the lower end thereof, said pump including spaced motor and pump sections each of which includes a cylinder having a piston therein, and including rod means providing the sole connection between said mo-tor and pump sections for connecting said pistons together, and said pump including elements engageable with elements of said one tubing for supporting said motor and pump sections in spaced relation independently of each other, said motor section being provided with an intake and said pump sec- V into Ian operating position adjacent the lower end thereof, y

said pump including spaced motor and pump sections each of which is provided withk a cylinder having a piston therein, and including rod means connecting said pistons together and forming the `sole connection between'said sectionsymeans providingV a pont connecting said tubings in uid communication at a point between said motor and pump sections when said pumpi's in said operating position; packer means carried by said motor section and disposed above said port when said pump is in said operating position for providing a fluid-tight seal between said motor section `and said one tubing; and 'means for securing said pump in said operating position. 3. In a `fluid-'operated pumping system, the combination of: a pair of tubings set in a well, one of said tubings being substantially longer than the other; means providing a port in uid communicationwith the lower end of said other tubing and in fluid communication with said one tubing at a point a substantial `distance above the lower end thereof; a duid-operated pump movable relative to `said tubings and through said one tubing into an operating position therein and including operatively connected motor and pump sections respectively disposed above and below said port when said pump is in said operating position, said motor section having an intake which communicates with said one tubing above said port when said pump is in said oper-ating position, and said pump section having an inlet which communicates with the well and having an Voutlet which communicates with said one tubing below said port -when said pump is in said operating position; packer means carried by said pump and engrageable with said one tubing between s-aid intake and said port when said pump is in said operating position for providing a fluid-tight seal between said intake and said port; and means for securing said pump relative to said one tubing.

4. A fluid-operated pumping system according to claim '3 wherein said motor and pump sections respectively include motor and pump cylinders respectively having there- -in motor and pump pistons and wherein said pump includes eXible, reelable rod means connecting said motor and .pump pistons ,together and providing the sole connection between said motor and pump sections. J5'. In combination ina well bore: a perforated liner in the well bore adjacent the bottom thereof, the inside diameter of said liner being less than ythey diameter of the well ybore thereabove; a pair 4of tubings set in the well bore fand vinterconnectedy therein above said liner, vone of said tubings being substantially longer' than the otherv and extending downwardly into said liner; anda Huid-operated pump carried by said one tubing and lincluding vertically spaced, operatively connected motor and pump sections respectively comprising motor and pump cylinders respectively having motor and pumppistons therein, 'said pump including 'a rod connecting said motor and pump pistons, saidmotor section being located entirely above said liner and said pump section being located entirely within said liner.

`6. In a Huid-operated pump, the combination of: a motor section adapted to be disposed in a well and including a motor cylinder having a motor piston reciprocable therein, said motor section including motor valve means for applying an alternating fluid pressure force differential to said motor piston to reciprocate it in said.

motor cylinder; a pump section adapted to be disposed inthe well below said motor section and including a pump cylinder having a pump piston therein; rod means con4 necting said pump piston to said motor piston; means connected to said motor cylinder for supporting said motor section in the well; and means connected to said pump" cylinder for supporting said pump section in the well below and spaced from said motor section.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS V916,777 Perry Mar. 30, 1909 1,946,723 .Thompson Feb. 13, 1934 2,012,839 Turner Aug. 27, 1935 2,191,369 Chenault Feb. 20, 1940 2,230,787 Swain Feb. 4, 1941 2,313,404 Vickers Mar. 9, 1943 I 2,326,170 Rearwin Aug. 10, 1943 2,497,348 Ecker Feb. 14, 1950 2,631,541 Dempsey Mar. 17, 1953 2,652,231 Smith Sept. 1-5, 1953 2,676,546 Coberly Apr. 27, 1954 2,679,806 Chenault June 1, 1954 i 2,803,193 'Salentine Aug. 20, 1957 

